As dawn's first crimson light kissed the sky, the grand city of Gunagzhou stirred to life.
All across the city, the ornate lanterns—once resplendent beneath the soft veil of night—now appeared meek and subdued under the golden breath of morning.
Within the Xiong Residence, the new day had already begun.
Uncle Pan was busy preparing breakfast, quietly going about his work with practiced care.
Only four people lived in the household: Xiao Baichuan, Shan Mei, Dao Master Sun, and Uncle Pan himself. For breakfast, they made do with a simple meal—a pot of warm, soft porridge, a dish of stir-fried roselle leaves touched with sesame oil, a small bowl of poached chicken, and a pot of hot water. Nothing more.
Xiao Baichuan had been in Shan Mei's room since early morning. Though they had only returned from their travels past midnight, he seemed refreshed and full of vitality.
Shan Mei, however, was still asleep. The torment of her illness had receded, allowing her at last to drift into a deep and peaceful slumber. Her face, too, looked far livelier than it had in days past. It had been many nights since she'd slept so well—had it not?
Gazing tenderly at her serene face, Xiao Baichuan watched over her in silence.
The faint scent of medicine still lingered in the room. Breathing it in, Xiao Baichuan found it strangely comforting, despite Dao Master Sun's insistence that the medicine was intended solely for the patient. Somehow, he felt it suited him too.
As the morning deepened, the muffled sounds of footsteps and chatter from the street below gradually reached their ears.
It was then that Shan Mei stirred.
Even before she opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was how unusually light her body felt. Unlike the heavy, oppressive fatigue of the past days, her limbs now carried a refreshing buoyancy. This sensation brought peace to her heart.
When she finally opened her eyes, the first sight that greeted her was a pair of warm, caring eyes—eyes she had seen each morning upon waking. To her, they were the kindest, most comforting, and most dependable eyes in the world. They were her past, her present, and her future.
"Dear brother…"
The gentle smile on Xiao Baichuan's face filled her heart with warmth once again.
Like a tender sprout too weak to draw nourishment from the soil, Shan Mei had been unable to fully appreciate the quiet love and care Xiao Baichuan had shown her—day after day, morning, noon, and night. But now, with her strength returning, she could finally feel that warmth in full.
She looked at him and smiled gently.
"You're awake, dear sister. Did you sleep well? How's your body feeling this morning?"
"I'm awake now, dear brother. I slept really well. I didn't even realize you came in."
Hearing his wife's bright voice and seeing the healthy glow in her smile, Xiao Baichuan felt a joy so profound it warmed him to the core.
He drew closer, sitting sideways at the edge of the bed, and took her delicate hands into his own. Then, he gently kissed her refreshed face.
"Oh…"
It was the same loving kiss he gave her every morning, but it never grew old—it always stirred his heart. Now, with her finally recovering, the joy it brought was even deeper.
Shan Mei reached out and softly held his handsome, steady face in her hands, her eyes full of love.
Xiao Baichuan cradled her hand and pressed it gently against his cheek.
"I was afraid I'd wake you, seeing how soundly you were sleeping, so I just sat and watched you for a while. I'm so glad you're feeling better. Your face is brighter, and your voice has more strength."
Hearing his joyful words, Shan Mei's heart warmed even more.
"Yes, I'm doing much better. My whole body feels light and refreshed, Brother. That medicine from the master—it's truly miraculous, isn't it? He really is as great as they say."
Shan Mei held deep gratitude and newfound reverence for Dao Master Sun. Many physicians had failed to ease her suffering, and it was only now—under his care—that she had begun to heal.
"By the way, dear brother, is Grandmaster awake yet? I want to show him how I'm doing now. If he sees that I'm getting better, I think he'll be pleased too."
"Grandaster is still in his room. I think he's still asleep."
As the couple was talking, a knocking sound came from outside.
Knock knock knock…!
"Young master, Madam, breakfast is ready."
It was the voice of Uncle Pan, coming from outside the room.
In the past, aside from Uncle Pan, there used to be a gatekeeper and a cook at the Shaung residence. However, due to the rising medical costs for Shan Mei, they could no longer afford to keep them. Xiao Baichuan had to dedicate his full attention to caring for Shan Mei's health, leaving him with no time for household responsibilities.
As a result, Uncle Pan, their trusted aide, had to take care of all the household matters. But since some tasks were still too much for him alone, they had hired a daytime housemaid to help from morning until evening.
"Come in, Uncle Pan," said Xiao Baichuan.
Uncle Pan entered the room, carrying a tray with a bowl of steaming rice porridge, a small dish of fried pickled greens, and a cup of warm water for washing up.
Xiao Baichuan stood up and took the tray from him, placing it on the table.
"Thank you, Uncle Pan."
Uncle Pan gave a gentle smile and nodded silently.
Xiao Baichuan picked up the warm water and a face towel, placed them on a stool beside the bed, and gently helped Shan Mei sit up.
"Let's wash your face a bit, shall we?"
"Yes, Dear brother."
With his support, Shan Mei sat up. Xiao Baichuan helped her wash her face.
Uncle Pan stood quietly, watching the couple's tender and caring interaction with a warm smile. Seeing that Shan Mei was recovering brought him joy as well.
This couple not only loved each other dearly but treated him like family, showing deep trust and affection. They never called him by his full name "Uncle Panxuel "—just "Uncle Pan" in a warm and respectful tone.
Uncle Pan had been with the Xiao household even before Xiao Baichuan was born. He had risen from being a gatekeeper to a trusted retainer. He had watched over and helped raise Xiao Baichuan since his childhood, sometimes even carrying him on his back.
Though Uncle Pan had no relatives of his own, the Xiao family treated him as if he were part of their kin. Helping them brought him genuine happiness.
"Has Daw Gyi Khin Lwan arrived yet, Uncle Pan?"
After helping Shan Mei wash her face, Xiao Baichuan handed the cup back to Uncle Pan and asked.
Aunt Jinluan was the daytime housemaid hired to assist with chores.
"She just arrived, Young master. I had her start setting up the breakfast table, and then I came here."
Uncle Pan took the cup, answered, and placed it back on the table. Then he brought the tray of rice porridge and the dish of greens closer.
Xiao Baichuan took the tray and said,
"Let's have a bit of porridge for breakfast, shall we?"
"Yes, Dear brother."
He carefully mixed the hot porridge with the side dish, took half a spoonful, gently blew to cool it, and then fed Shan Mei.
Seeing that she was able to eat well brought joy not just to Xiao Baichuan, but to Uncle Pan as well. In the past, Shan Mei had barely been able to eat a few spoonfuls.
"Is it good, dear sister? How does it taste?"
"Yes. It's very good."
"Then eat more, okay?"
Spoon after spoon, she kept eating. She usually could only manage four or five spoonfuls, but today, she almost finished the entire bowl.
Both men were delighted to see her appetite returning. It gave them hope that she might soon recover.
"You ate a lot today, dear sister. How does your stomach feel? Are you okay?"
"The porridge tasted good, so it went down easily. And this time, it doesn't feel uncomfortable like before. That's why I ate more."
"That's wonderful. If you keep this up, you'll get better very soon. I'm so happy."
"I'm happy too, dear brother… Just thinking about how much trouble I've caused you…"
Before she could finish her sentence, Xiao Baichuan gently placed a finger on her lips to hush her.
"Shh… Don't think about unpleasant things. And don't talk about them either. You're getting better now. Just focus on happy thoughts. Concentrate only on recovering. If Mother is feeling down, the baby will feel down too. So, no more negative thoughts, alright?"
As Xiao Baichuan spoke, he gently placed his palm on Shan Mei's belly, comforting her softly.
Shan Mei smiled in response and slightly nodded. She placed her hand on top of his and gently rubbed her belly as well.
"Yes, my dear."
Uncle Pan, watching from the side, realized that Shan Mei was pregnant.
"Young master… Madam is… that is…"
"Yes, Uncle Pan. Shan Mei is carrying it."
"That's wonderful news! Not only is Madam recovering, but now we have such joyful news as well. This is truly a blessing. Madam, if you crave anything, just let me know. When your mother was carrying you, she had a constant craving for jasmine rice and fried chicken."
Uncle Pan expressed his happiness and offered his congratulations, reminiscing about the time when Xiao Baichuan's mother was pregnant with him.
"Is that so? Maybe that's why Dear brother likes fried chicken. Thank you, Uncle Pan. I haven't had any cravings like that yet."
As Shan Mei smiled and spoke joyfully, both Xiao Baichuan and Uncle Pan listened and realized once again that in this household, there had been no one who truly understood and cared for Shan Mei's needs until now — they smiled at the thought.
"I'll step out for a bit, dear sister. I'll go feed the old master breakfast and bring him here."
"Alright, brother. I'm feeling much better now. Don't worry."
"Uncle Pan, take these to the dining room and prepare the breakfast table. I'll bring the master shortly."
"Yes, young master."
Xiao Baichuan helped Shan Mei settle comfortably before leaving.
"I'm off now, dear sister."
"Okay, my dear."
Xiao Baichuan left the room and went to the master's chamber.
Knock knock knock.!
"Grandmaster, I'm here to invite you to breakfast."
"Xiao Baichuan? Come in."
Inside, the Dao master was busy at his writing desk with a brush in hand. The desk was covered in papers, drawings, maps, and scribbles.
The Dao master didn't look up, continuing to write and sketch intently.
Xiao Baichuan stood quietly at the side, not wanting to disturb him. After a while, the master finally stopped.
"Whew… My brain's overheating. But I actually enjoy this kind of mentally exhausting work. Haha. Alright, I'm starving. Let's eat."
The Dao master stood up and got ready to leave the room.
"Grandmaster… aren't you going to put away the papers?"
"Don't touch them. Leave them exactly as they are. Don't let anyone into the room either. If my work gets messed up, I'll have to rework everything I've planned. And I hate rethinking things twice."
"Yes, understood."
Xiao Baichuan locked the door.
"Grandmaster… I don't understand a thing you've written on those papers. Can I ask what they're about?"
The Dao master brushed his messy beard back and looked at Xiao Baichuan.
"It's not surprising you don't understand. Even if someone thinks they do, they won't grasp everything. The point is—I'm the only one who understands what I'm working on. But you should know. You need to know. And I'll explain. Let's talk over breakfast."
When they arrived at the dining room, they sat down to eat the breakfast Uncle Pan had prepared.
While eating, the Dao master spoke.
"Shan Mei hasn't recovered as much
"I know that. But you can't call that relief just yet. It's more like slowing the momentum of something that was falling into a chasm. We haven't even stopped it—much less pulled it back up. Only when we pull it back and get it out of the abyss can we say it's truly better."
Dao Master Sun continued,
"I told you last night—it wouldn't be easy. If it were a simple illness, I could've cured it in one night. But what's going on with her isn't that simple."
Xiao Baichuan's joy faded at Dao Master's words, and his face fell.
But Dao Master continued,
"Still, don't worry. I told you already—I'll save your wife and child. What I was working on earlier in my room, those diagrams and notes—they're part of a treatment plan for Shan Mei. It's not complete yet. Some critical pieces are still missing."
"Yes, please go on, Grandmaster," Xiao Baichuan urged, unable to wait for him to finish.
"Among the things I need, one involves questions for you, Xiao Baichuan."
Xiao Baichuan looked surprised.
"Yes, please ask, Grandmaster."
"Hmm… From what I've learned, your internal energy is still at a fundamental level. Is that right?"
"Yes, that's true, Grandmaster. I never really took an interest in martial arts, so I didn't train in the Xiao family's martial legacy. But I have regularly practiced the inner energy cultivation method every night before bed—just enough to stay healthy and light on my feet. I never trained it to the point of actually using it in combat."
"Ah-ha..."
Dao Master suddenly struck the table lightly and nodded, as if something had just clicked in his mind.
"That makes sense now. I was right. Then you'll need to at least give me a rough idea of the Xiao family's inner cultivation method—even if not in detail."
Xiao Baichuan gave an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry, Grandmaster. I can't explain the Xiao inner technique."
Dao Master suddenly raised his head and looked directly at Xiao Baichuan.
"Why not? Are you afraid I'll learn your family's secrets?"
Xiao Baichuan shook his head quickly.
"No, no, not at all, Grandmaster. As I said, I never took a deep interest in martial arts, so I never properly learned the method. I only practiced it lightly. But we do have written records passed down through the generations. If you, Grandmaster, were to look through those ancestral notes, I believe you could understand the essence of it."
"Do you think it's appropriate for me to read the Xiao family's ancestral records, Xiao Baichuan?"
Xiao Baichuan rose to his feet and respectfully bowed with both hands.
"Grandmaster, the future of the Xiao family is already in your hands since last night. Our records are not open to outsiders under any circumstances, but you are the benefactor who will save our lineage. So I believe, in this case, it's justified. And your learning from them would only serve the benefit of our family's future, would it not?"
Listening to Xiao Baichuan's sincere and heartfelt words, Dao Master rose to his feet, having made up his mind.
"Good. Very good. That means I can now study the Xiao family's knowledge with a clear conscience and do everything I can to help. Right then—we're done eating. Let's return to my room. There's more work to do. Go, Xiao Baichuan—get the family record book and meet me there."
"Yes, Grandmaster."
Xiao Baichuan went upstairs. The upper floor had been left unused since Shan Mei's illness, so most of the household items had been moved downstairs.
There was a single locked room on the upper floor. It was the ancestral room, where records and teachings from previous generations were kept.
Xiao Baichuan unlocked the door and entered.
Inside, dust covered the surfaces and cobwebs clung to the corners.
Xiao Baichuan couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow as he looked around the ancestral room. Had the Xiao bloodline declined so much during his generation? Had he brought shame to his forefathers?
On the elevated platform inside the room stood rows of ancestral scrolls, neatly arranged. At the very top sat a large, black scroll pole, covered in a layer of dust and clinging spiderwebs. Upon it, the words "The Wise Xiao Mei" were beautifully engraved in golden script.
In front of that scroll pole was a black chest, roughly one arm's length wide and half an arm's width tall, standing about six inches high. What was most unusual was that although the rest of the room was thick with dust, this black chest bore not a single speck—it remained spotlessly clean and cloaked in a deep, dark gleam.
End of Chapter - 3